Priorities are announced for the Comprehensive School Refore Quality Initiatives program. The purpose of the program is to provide discretionary grants to support activities that will enhance the state-administered CSR program.

Comments are invited on proposed priorities, requirements, definitions and selection criteria for a special competition under the Smaller Learning Communities (SLC) program. These are proposed for scientifically based data on supplemental reading programs for adolescents. Comments are due on or before February 28, 2005.

The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 (Perkins III) authorizes appropriations only through the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2003. For FY 2004, in the absence of Congressional action to reauthorize Perkins III, section 422(a) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) automatically extended the law for one additional year, and this office approved state plan extensions and revisions, including adjusted performance levels for program year six, beginning July 1, 2004.

Comments are invited on proposed regulations prescribing criteria to be used in selecting eligible members of the Armed Forces to participate in the Troops-to-Teachers program and receive financial assistance. Comments due on or before February 14, 2005.

Comments are invited on proposed criteria and other application requirements under the Teaching American History grant program, specifically with regard to the range of awards and the number of awards a local education agency may receive. Comments are due on or before February 14, 2005.

Comments are invited on proposed priorities for the Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination Program. The priorities may be used for the FY 2005 competition. Comments are due on or before February 14, 2005.

Comments are invited on proposed priority, requirements, and definitions for the Professional Development for Arts Educators Program. They may be used for the FY 2005 competition and in future years. Comments are due on or before February 14, 2005.

Comments are invited on proposed rules to administer the Credit Enhancement for Charter School Facilities Program. Comments due on or before November 22, 2004. Through the program the Department provides grants to assist charter schools in acquiring, improving, or expanding facilities.

Proposed rulemaking to implement Equal Access to Public School Facilities for the Boy Scouts of America and Other Designated Youth Groups. Comments are invited and are due on or before December 3, 2004.

The Secretary proposes to amend the regulations governing programs administered under Part A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). These proposed regulations would implement statutory provisions regarding State, local educational agency (LEA), and school accountability for the academic achievement of limited English proficient (LEP) students and are needed to implement changes to Title I of the ESEA made by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB Act).

These final regulations implement Executive branch policy that, within the framework of constitutional church-state guidelines, religiously affiliated organizations should be able to compete on an equal footing with other organizations for funding by the U.S. Department of Education. We are revising Department regulations to remove barriers to the participation of faith-based organizations in Department programs.

The Department of Education announces a priority, selection criteria, requirements, and definitions under the Safe Schools/Healthy Students program. We may use this priority, selection criteria, requirements, and definitions for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2004 and later years. We take this action to focus Federal financial assistance on safe, disciplined, and drug-free learning environments and healthy childhood development.